Evening @ Chew Valley Lake !

Date spotted: 27th August 2013 - 7PM

Location: Chew Valley Lake - Heron's Green Bay

Observation: The Furrenguious Duck is still present. Little Grebe group of 21 also seen but quite far out, never seen so many before! The normal ducks/wildlife expected was there. Also seen 1 Common Sandpiper which was feeding along close bank but wouldn't let you get that close to it, which is a shame, beautiful little waders!

Weather: Cloudy, Sunset + Warm

Other Species: Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Raven, Crow, Jackdaw, Canada Goose, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull  Herring Gull, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Furrenguious Duck, Tufted Duck, Scaup, Teal, Shoveller 

 

Black Tern - Chlidonias niger

Date spotted: 25th August - 3PM

Location: Chew Valley Lake - Heron's Green Bay

Observation: We arrived at Heron's Green Bay to find the Black Tern hunting and feeding within 25 metres at times, buy favouring the middle of the lake. Watched the Juvenile fishing for a good half hour before taking rest next to a Black-Headed Gull, but he was up and feeding again a few minutes later! Great bird to see!

Weather: Cloudy, Little Wind but Good Light

Other Species: Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Little Grebe, Great-Crested Grebe, Raven, Crow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Black Tern, Canada Goose, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, House Sparrow  Goldfinch, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Cormorant.

 

Pied Wagtail - Motacilla Alba

Date spotted: 18th August - 2PM

Location: Chew Valley Lake

Observation: Lots of little Pied Wagtails and House Sparrows hopping around on Heron's Green, looking for flies, let you get fairly close and up to the fence before flying off! A few wader around, black-tailed Godwits mostly, also seen a distant view of the Ferruginous Duck and a Peregrine eating a pigeon on distant muddy patch.

Weather: Blue Sky, Some Cloud

Other Species: Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Black-Tailed Godwit, Peregrine Falcon, Pied Wagtail, House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Lesser-Black Backed Gull, Black-Headed Gull, (possible Yellow-Legged Gull also), Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Furruginous Duck, Cormorant, 

 

Comic Swift-Tuttle !

Date spotted: 12th August - 10.30pm-12.30pm

Location: Kenysham/Bath Lanes

Observation: Seen 6 shooting stars but more were proven in the images! Amazing to witness this!

Weather: Clear Skies, with some cloud, 13 Degrees.

 

Little Owls Are BACK !

Date spotted: 8th August - 1PM

Location: Newton St Loe - Zones 1,3,4,5

Observation: A longer walk that normal today proved worth it! Seen our first 2 Ravens, noticed a weird call sounded almost like a pig or wild board upon getting closer, Crow came to mine but it was too powerful so Raven sounded likely, we played the saved noise on our phone and it was the exact same noise to the Raven noise. We waited and the pair kept flying around the tree's and dispersed east, we carried on walking as we walked down the hill behind us we seen the pair flying around and flew back where they were! Couldn't get any pictures but were defiantly a pair maybe even 3. We walked out to the Lake, and the Little Owl pair are back! Last seen 9th April, we thought they had moved on, but they are both flying into nest hole after hunting, their is squawking coming from the nest but unsure on amount of chicks in there. Very successful walk!

Weather: Cloudy, Some Sun + Warm

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Buzzard, Kestrel, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Mute Swan, Grey Heron, Little Owl, Crow, Jackdaw, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Raven, Rook, Robin, Grey Wagtail

Butterflies: Large White, Small White, Brimstone, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell  Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Comma

 

Butterflies + Waders @ Slimbridge !

Date spotted: 6th Aug - All Day

Location: WWT Slimbridge

Observation: Spoonbill still present at South Lake, not very active and led down at back of main pool. Very photogenic Reed Warbler, Whitethroat and Lapwing around the site, which was a nice surprise! Quite a few butterflies including a Silver-Y moth, Brimstone and a few Red Admiral which is a first for us! Lots of Small/Large Whites, Peacocks, Tortoiseshell and Comma's also!

Weather: Broken Cloud, Sunny + Warm

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Lapwing, Reed Warbler, Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Green Sandpiper, Spoonbill, Shelduck, Mallard, Common Tern, Moorhen, Coot, Black-Tailed Godwit, Tufted Duck, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Whitethroat, Great-Crested Grebe
Butterflies: Green-Veined White, Small White, Large White, Brimstone, Silver-Y Moth, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown, Comma, Red Admiral

 

Butterflies + Cygnets !

Date spotted: 1st August 2013 - 2PM

Location: Newton Park Lake - Zones 1,2+5

Observation: Mute Swan + Cgynets all doing well still five cygnets. Feeding for themselves on lake now. We also spotted a bigger number of Grey Heron's on the lake, which means the 2 adults have successfully bred this year with 2 young. 

Weather: Blue Sky, Hot, Some Wind

Other Species: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Buzzard, Crow, Jackdaw, Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 

Butterflies + Dragonflies:

Meadow Brown, Large White, Small White, Gatekeeper, European Peacock, Common Blue Damselfly, Red Darter, Green Damselfly

Clouded Yellow Butterfly

Date spotted:31/07/2013

Location: Zone 3 -river avon loop

Observation: went looking for butterflies and found Clouded yellow !! -common blue-large,small whites,rinlets,comma,peacock,few damselles and a great buzzard !

Weather: cloudy overcast ,then bright hot,hot sunshine

Other Species: Buzzard,starling,house sparrow,barn swallow(only around 20 swallows and sparrows also low,farm moved out  maybe reason ?)
swan,morhens,lost of goldfinch around .